Pages

17 June 2009

CFDA Fashion Frenzy

I love awards shows. The glamour, the fashion...the drama. The CFDA Awards are a little different, a little more serious if you will. Or maybe it's just the blend of designers, industry insiders, models, actors, actresses and musicians. And finally the designers get the kudos they so richly deserve. Like (my heaven known as) Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton who won the International Award. Or the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Acheivement Award taken home by Anna Sui (and presented by Jack White). Women's Designer of the Year went to the Rodarte team of Kate & Laura Mulleavy (see Kirsten Dunst below). And the Board of Directors' Special Tribute Award, presented by Diane von Furstenburg, went to none other than our First Lady, Michelle Obama, for her commitment to American designers. Oh, if only I'd had a ticket. Or if only someone would jump on televising this! Hello...VH1? Bravo?? Somebody, anybody...

Each time there's an awards show, I try to think of each photo individually so as not to over "write" but you know what? I'm a writer, so bear with me. I can't just stick one photo up with a five sentence paragraph and feel ok. It's all or nothing, people.

So my favorite look of the night really shocked me. And what shocks me even more is that, yea!, an Olsen twin is smiling!!! Alert the media! She must have had a sandwich. I love everything about this. The color, the fit, the detail, her whole look is fantastic. I'm assuming it's vintage YSL or perhaps Valentino judging by the shape, but whatever it is, it works.

My second favorite is probably the most simple. It's total badass rocker chic and it's classic Agyness Deyn in gorgeous Anna Sui. Now I have to admit that I'm kind of over AD-everywhere; the girl has BEEN everywhere. But this look is what sets her aside and I totally dig it, head to toe.

And one of my last favorites, but certainly not least, Jack White. I don't know why I like this really other than that the brown's match his jaundice better than his traditional black does. I feel like I can actually "see him" for once...his jet black locks usually melt right in to whatever he's wearing and all you are left with are deep set floating eyes on not quite white skin. It's kind of creepy in a fascinating Bram Stoker sort of way. But I digress...

Let's just cut to the chase now and talk about what I didn't like. Starting with the look I just can't seem to get out of my mind because it is totally mind-numbling annoying. Behold.I keep hearing that Blake Lively is an up and coming fashion icon but I'm just not seeing it. Cute girl; cute dress; but first of all boring! and second of all every single solitary shot of her from the event in her hot pink Kors dress shows her with her thumbs hooked painfully in those front pockets like she's John Wayne's effing granddaughter (or great perhaps?) getting ready to sling out her six-shooter and swagger her way back into the saloon. As Stanley Tucci said in the Devil Wears Prada, give me a full ballerina skirt and a hint of saloon and I'm on board, which I totally get but yeah, not this. It isn't so much "I'm-a-badass" as it is "I'm-trying-so-hard-to-be-cool." Loosen up. It's much cooler looking. And take your freakin' hands OUT of your pockets.

What in the name of the good Holy Lord is Doutzen Kroes wearing? Granted, it's Zac Posen. Given Tucci's quote above. Given a hallucinogenic. Given a different dress. Please. There is just nothing ok about this other than the color. It's like Cinderella, Stevie Nicks, and Malificent are somehow possessing Posen. And not in a good way.

Lonneke Engel in Marchesa. Honestly triggers my gag reflex. It's like a bad ice skating costume from the '80's. In truth, it probably wasn't a bad design but then someone (a stylist? the donner?) decided it would be cute to have it shortened. Yeah, no.

Now this one was a hard one for me. I really actually love the dress...I mean what's not to love about a 1950's style bustier top poufy dress with layers and layers of tulle and Marilyn Monroe's face emblazoned all over white satin? Seriously. I'll take three. But there's just something so ultra-boring about Molly Sims wearing this Dolce & Gabbana. Picture, if you will, the dress on someone like Dita von Teese. High drama, mega-makeup, super sex appeal...the focus on her, not Marilyn (a hard thing to do). Molly doesn't cut it. The super-shiney-happy-California girl look just does not work with this dress. At all. Sorry.

No. Michelle Trachtenberg. No. No. The dress doesn't flatter you at all. The makeup is alien shiney. The hair is I Dream of Jeannie on a bad day. None of it works. Plus you are what? 24? You look ten years older than that. I am all about some Behnaz Sarafpour designs (who is in the photo with Michelle) but this look is a big fat fail, sister. FAIL.

Look everybody! It's Edward Scissorhands' sister! I always thought he was an only-freak. Seriously though, dear Lydia Hearst, you are a Hearst. Surely you can afford a) some food and b) some shoes that would actually compliment that dress. The shoes ruin the dress ruin the hair ruin the makeup. And it all had such potential. Le sigh.

Another one I'm on the fence about...it's not the dress, I dig the dress, and I think I like the shoes. Maybe not the shoes with the dress? I'm not sure. Or maybe it's KiKi looking different than she has in ages. I don't know. I'm confused. Or scared. Hm.

Tallulah Belle Willis in Calvin Klein Collection. Something about this dress reminds me of the following: jellies; my mom's white overly smocked bathing suit from 1978; a jewelry bag; a parachute. I think it's the photograph. I hope, for her sake, it's the photograph.

Hey, even fashion people make mistakes. Next up: the CMT's (yes, I know I'm behind but there was so much fashion debockery in one week I just sat stunned in silence for days).